The disclosure relates to the use of superabsorbent polymers with conventional hydraulic fracturing proppants and relatively lightweight proppant or the composites thereof for fracturing applications. The application also relates to the use of superabsorbent polymers and their composites for sand control applications.
Hydraulic fracturing increases the flow of desirable fluids such as oil and gas from a subterranean formation and involves placing a fracturing fluid into a subterranean formation or zone at a rate and pressure sufficient to impart a stress in the formation or zone with attendant production of a fracture in the formation or zone.
Beyond creating the fracture, the fracturing fluid also transports a proppant into the fracture. The proppant keeps the fracture open after release of the exerted pressure. Further, the proppant establishes conductive means in which the formation fluids flow to the borehole. Since the proppant provides a higher conductivity than the surrounding rock, the fracture has greater potential for production of hydrocarbons.
During fracturing or other well operations, some proppant particles can settle out of the fracturing fluids if the fracturing fluids do not have good proppant transport properties. The settled out proppant may migrate toward the near wellbore area due to drag or other forces. The migrated proppant can plug, erode or cause significant wear of downhole equipment and surface facilities. The migrated proppant can also plug or clog flow channels in the formation, thereby significantly reducing well productivity.
Thus it would be desirable to provide alternative methods of fracturing a subterranean formation. It would also be desirable to provide a method to filter formation sand out of the desired production material so that their migration is reduced or substantially prevented.